T361

T361 was one of the locomotives repainted in the early days of V/Line, that didn't receive stripes on the pilots. There were 15 locomotives that emerged in orange and grey without the black diagonal stripes on the pilot. Other locos being B84, X47, T350, T386, T393, L1150, L1156, Y146, Y163, Y167, Y168, Y173, Y174 and Y175.

As part of its overhaul, T361 received cut-away valances and Belawat cab side windows, modifications applied to other 2nd and 3rd series T class at overhaul and repainting into V/Line.

I have wanted to have a T class with these modifications as part of the loco fleet for some time and with Powerline producing this variation as part of current production run, have recently added T361 to the fleet.

I'm unsure of the date when T361 was released back into traffic in V/Line colours although my first sighting was on 24/11/1983 at South Dynon locomotive depot. 

 Observations of T361 during 1984 include:

8/02/84 - T361 at Ballarat East locomotive depot with 966, X38, X41, X50, S311, W250, W260, B83, Y135, Y152, Y154, T324, T335, T341, T359, T369, T382, T386, T393, T399, T404

23/07/84 - At Mildura locomotive depot, T361, T360, T379, X34, X39, Y152 and Y153.

25/07/84 - At Mildura locomotive depot, T361, B61, T360, T389, X33 and Y150.

16/09/84 - T361 at Ararat locomotive depot with BL26, T372, T399, T405, W263, Y143, Y152 and Y158.

21/09/84 - BL32-T361-T321 Up block grain at Stawell

23/09/84 - T361 at Ararat locomotive depot with T346, T351, T354, T358, T372, T378, T380, T387, T398, T401, T405, W263, X50, Y123, Y147, Y148, Y152, Y158 and Y159.

28/09/84 - S307-X49-T361 Up goods at Stawell

14/10/84 - T361 at Ballarat East locomotive depot with B67, T321, T345, T363, T386, T395, Y124, Y125, Y151 and W243

At 6:40am on 15th June 1984, T361 on the 391 Ballarat - Pittong Goods runs past Garden City Flour Mill at Ballarat North.

T361 first revenue working was on the 391 Ballarat - Skipton Goods with a consist of 4 open wagons with empty containers for the Kaolin plant at Pittong. 

T361 on the 391 Ballarat - Pittong Goods passes 934 and S305 on a a late running 9130 Adelaide - Melbourne Express Goods at Ballarat North.

The following day T361 teamed up with T321 on an empty block grain of VHGY's to Dunolly returning to Ballarat in the afternoon on the way to the GEB terminal at Geelong.  T361 was detached at Warrenheip leaving T321 to continue solo on the mostly downhill run to Geelong. T361 returned light engine to Ballarat East Locomotive Depot where it was stabled around the turntable. 

At 9.02am on 16th June 1984, T361-T321 accelerate out of Ballarat on a block grain working of empty VHGY's for loading at Dunolly.

It's 4.05pm when T321 and T361 return to Ballarat with 17 VHGY's loaded with wheat from Dunolly. The locos are beginning the climb up the 1 in 52 grade of Warrenheip Bank 

22 minutes later, T361 returns light engine to Ballarat East Locomotive Depot.

T361 rests around the turntable with T386, B69, T401 and W243. Orange locos are starting to outnumber blue and gold locos.